The Bunhead in the Toy shop
by addison223
Summary: Emma is a battered ballerina with a three year old son. Regina is a lonely toy shop owner in need of company. Will these women find solace in one another? How about love?
1. Chapter 1

The lights in the city lit up the tiny toy shop. Regina was opening the toy shop on a windy Saturday. Her store was fairly new so she was busy. Her best friend Kathryn helps sometimes but today was not one of those times. She couldn't believe how many people were in her shop today. She was swamped.

The day went by in a flurry of activity. She was so busy she didn't notice how much time had past. The crowds were finally disipating and she could finally have a minute to herself, or so she thought. The bell on the door made a tiny sound indicating someone was entering. When she looked up she was speachless. '_She's beautiful_' Regina thought.

A blonde lanky woman with a bun on her head entered the new store with a small child on her hip. She had just left practice and her son had been begging her for a new train. He had finally grown out of the dinosaur phase so she was glad to buy him something different. She had even got the toy approved by her boyfriend. She saw the beautiful woman staring at her and she blushed.

When Regina noticed she had been staring she quickly corrected it and went to help the new custumer.

"Hi welcome to my toy shop, I'm Regina. How can I help you?"Regina asked.

"My name is Emma and I was wondering if you had some toy trains." Emma replied. Regina thought Emma was the perfect name for the slim woman.

"We do actually what color would you guys like?" Regina directed them to the small train section.

"What color would you like bud?" Emma asked the small child.

"RED, Mommy!"RED!" The Kid yelled. Regina looked surprised that Emma had a child.

Regina smiled at the young boy and couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. "What's your name?" She cooed over the young boy.

The small child blushed and hid his face in his mothers neck. Regina thought it was adorable.

"Henry, Dont be shy sweetie answer the nice woman." Emma tried to coax him. She didn't want him to be afraid of talking to people. His father had scared him out of talking to people.

"I is Henry. I is fa-ree." Henry replied while looking at the brunette woman. He held up three fingers indicating his real age. He then brought out his hand so the woman could shake it.

"Three, Henry." Emma corrected.

"Henry is a handsome name. It was my father's name." Regina said. She then brought her hand out and grabbed the small chubby hand and gave it a small shake. "Your a charming young man."

Henry hid his face in his mothers neck again. Emma chuckled and couldn't help but smile at the older brunette who was making her sweet son embarrassed.

"He is a cute boy." Regina said.

"Oh thank you. He is my best acheivement by far." Emma smiled at the woman.

"If you dont mind my question. How old are you? you look so young." Regina blushed at her question trying so hard not to be rude.

"I am twenty-two. I had him at 18. I love him so much I couldn't imagine my life without him." Emma smiled at the blushing woman

"He is a super sweet kid." Regina looked at the small boy who was quickly falling asleep on his mothers shoulder.

"Thank you." Emma replied.

"So what train would you like?" Regina asked.

"The red one on the back shelf is fine." Emma replied. Regina walked over and grabbed it and handed it to the blonde woman.

"Thanks."Emma replied.

The doors swung open and the small bell rang throughout the store. Emma and Regina both looked up to see a blonde hair man with a deadly expression on his face. He marched right up to Emma and grabbed her arm.

"Where were you. I looked for you at ballet practice and you weren't there. Do you think you have the right to leave practice with my son without tellin me." Ben said not caring that there was a onlooker.

"I told you this morning that I was going to get Henry a new toy. You said I could." Emma replied quietly not looking at him. Regina noticed how tight she was holding her son.

"Fine. We are leaving, Give me Henry. I'll carry him." Ben sneered.

"No it's fine I'll carry him. He is asleep anyway." Emma still hadn't loosened her grip on the small boy.

"He Is mine just like you are and you'll do as I say!" Ben grabbed the small boy shaking him awake and he started crying from being woken from his sleep. Regina was pissed at what had been happening. She knew what abuse was. Her first husband was exactly like this man and she wasn't happy at all.

"Shut Up boy! Stop crying." Ben yelled at the small boy making him cry harder. "Hey Tramp, Shut your son up." Ben threw the young boy at the blonde woman who gladly took her son back.

"Shoo, It's okay Henry. Close your eyes, your alright." The small boys screams turned to small wimpers.

"You coddle him to much." Ben said grabbing the blond womans arms and dragging her out the store.

Regina stood there dumstruck. She couldn't believe what just happened. She was still holding the small red train in her hand. She just hoped she saw the stunning blonde woman again. She went home that night with a blonde ballerina and a handsome young prince plaguing her thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

Days went by with no sign of the blonde that made Regina's heart beat out of her chest. She never wanted to see someone so bad. She just hoped the blonde was okay. She still held on to the train hoping someone would be back to claim in, a blonde someone.

She was brought out of her thoughts when her blonde friend Katherine walked into her store, The wrong blonde but she didn't mind.

"Hello Katherine, what brings you by on this night?" Regina inquired.

"I have come to steal you for the night. I'm taking you to the ballet. This might not be your scene but I would like you to accompany me. It is suppose to be really good." Katherine said with a wink.

"Sure Katherine. You dont have to beg you know. I would be happy to go with you. I have been doing it for years now." Regina has been to almost all of the ballets Katherine has directed and she didn't plan on missing this one. Katherine also owned a ballet studio.

"Thanks. I finally finished this ballet and I finally got the lead under control. She showed up the other day with a black eye. I just want this to go off without any problems." Katherine said

"I thought you said the lead was so good. You were gushing over her for weeks. How did she get the black eye, did she say?" Regina asked.

"She said she tripped and hit her face of a door. The bruise has finally faded enough so the make up will cover it. I was scared that the bruise would show but its finally better." Katherine said.

"You are aware that her saying she hit her face on a door sounds like an excuse for someone that hurt her, are you not?" Regina lifted her eyebrow just enough to make it sound condesending without insulting her friend.

"Regina you worry to much. Your relationship to Leo is clouding your judgement. Not everyone in a relationship is being abused." Katherine insisted.

"I know that Katherine." Regina said using a good amount of sass.

"I've met her boyfiend and he is so kind and they share a son. He seems so nice." Katherine said trying to calm her friends nerves.

"Leo seemed nice in public too." Regina replied as she grabbed her coat so they could leave.

"I'm sorry I brought it up." Katherine placed her hand on her friends shoulder trying to calm the soul she once let down, atleast in her own eyes. She should have known Leo was hurting her friend. She will never forgive herself.

"If it will make you feel better I'll ask the ballerina if she was hurt by her boyfriend." Katherine said as they walked out the front door.

"She'll just deny it. It gets easier to lie after awhile." Regina said as they entered the cab that would take them to their destination.

gtrqg

They pulled up in front of the huge stadium that was holding the ballet. They walked into the back where all the ballerinas were getting ready. It was chaos. Regina looked around noticing that everyone was getting ready except one. She walked over to the ballerina and notice she looked ready.

Regina walked up behind the ballerina from behind and placed her hand on the young girls shoulder. She flinched so violently that Regina thought she might have hurt herself. When Regina went to appologise to the girl she noticed that she knew the young girl. It was Emma from the toy store.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you." Regina looked into Emma's eyes and noticed that the young girl actually looked happy to see her.

"It's fine I just wasn't expecting for you to come up behind me. It's good to see you again." Emma said.

"It is a pleasure. I wasn't aware you were a ballerina." Regina said.

"I have been a ballerina for ever it seems. What are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"I am here to support my friend Katherine. She directed this ballet." Regina answered.

"No Way! You know Katherine? Thats Awesome. She hired me as the lead to this ballet." Emma responded.

"Your the lead. Well I hope your good."Regina said with a wink.

"I am very good. I'm not even being cocky." Emma said and blushed.

"I'll be watching dont you worry." Regina smiled at the blushing blonde.

"Showtime in 5 minutes people!" Someone yelled in the background.

"I have to go but i'll see you after the show! You are welcome to sit with Henry. He is sitting with my best friend Ruby. Don't worry my boyfriend isn't here." Emma said quietly.

"I would be happy to go sit with Henry!" Regina brushed her hand against Emma's. She couldn't explain the connection she felt with Emma. "Break a Leg Emma." Regina departed the room with a smile on her face heading towards an adorable kid she can't wait to see.

When Regina sees Henry in the crowd she walks over and sits right next to him. She can see him snuggling up to a skinny brunette who Regina assumes is Ruby.

"Hi Henry." Regina says softly.

"Hi Gina!" Henry said excitedly."Are you here to watch momma dance?"

"Yes I am actually. My best friend Katherine invited me to come watch her show." Regina said sweetly and pointed to her blonde friend.

"Auntie Kathy invited you to watch momma's show? That's awesome." Henry was about to implode.

"Aparrantly she did." Regina said making a mental note to talk to her friend about this.

"Hi I'm Ruby, and you are?" Ruby butted in making it known she was cautious of the woman interacting with Henry.

"I'm Regina. I met Henry and Emma at the toy store." Reby looked towards Henry and when he gave a positive nod that's all Ruby needed.

"I'm sorry for being rude. I just have to protect my best friend's family. You know how it is right?" Ruby asked with a small smile placed on her face.

"Yes I'm aware at the lengths I would go to protect my best friend." Regina said looking towards Katherine. Reby noticed the glance and smiled.

The lights started to dim and the curtains were pulled open. When the beautiful blonde stepped on stage Regina was at a loss for words and if you knew Regina you would know she always had something to say. She was totally and completely falling for Emma Swan. Ruby looked over and noticed the brunette looking at her friend like a piece of meat. _"This is going to be fun!" _Ruby thought.


	3. Chapter 3

She was stunning and Regina couldn't keep her eyes off her. She was dancing across the stage like she owned it. Regina couldn't even remember that she was in a room full of people. As soon as the curtains opened it was only Regina and Emma in a room full of a hundreds of people. Regina was startled out of her trance when Henry grabbed her hand. His small fist was so tiny compared to hers.

"Gina you like my mommy?" Henry asked. This caught Ruby's attention and she snapped her head over to catch Regina's expression.

" Yes, your mother is really nice. I can see myself being friends with her." Regina said speaking to Henry as if he was an adult.

"Do you like like her?" Henry asked. At that Regina was at a loss for words and she didn't know how to answer. She didn't want to lie to the kid but she didn't want to cause trouble either.

"Maybe one day." Regina left it at that and Ruby couldn't contain the smirk on her face.

"Ok! I sit on your lap, Gina?" Henry stuck out his bottom lip like Ruby had once taught him.

"Alright you may." Regina said. She couldn't get over how cute and sweet this little boy was. as the play went on Henry started to doze off until he was asleep on Regina's shoulder. When the play ended Regina and Ruby roze and decided to go find Emma and Katherine. When they found the two blondes together in the back they walked up to them. Ruby cleared her throat gainning their attention.

"Hello Katherine. Emma you were wonderful." Regina said and Emma blushed noticably which cause Regina to smile wider.

"Hi hun. How do you know Emma?" Katherine asked.

"I met her at my Toy shop. She was getting Henry a train." Regina said.

"Really that's great! We should all go out together some time." Katherine said.

"Yes auntie!" Henry whispered an thats when everyone realized he was awake.

"OH you wanna come to. I don't know it is for big boys. do you think you can handle it?" Katherine kidded with him.

"I a big boy. I is fa-wee." Henry smiled.

"Three." Emma corrected again.

"He sounds old enough to me." Regina said which earned a smile from Henry.

"Yay!" Henry said while his eyes were slowly shutting again. The four women talked until they decided it was time to go home. Regina walked Katherine to her car while Emma took Henry to her bug. When Emma's car wouldn't start Regina pulled up next to them.

"Do you need a ride?" Regina asked.

"If it's not to much of a problem." Emma responded.

"No problem at all. Just grab Henry's car seat and grab his blanket and stuff and I'll hook him in and we will be on our way. Regina got out of the car and held Henry while Emma hooked his car seat in the car. When the task was finished they all hopped in the car and Emma gave Regina directions to her house.

"Emma I may be stepping over so many boundries but I need to let you know that if you ever need me I will be there for you or Henry. I want you to know I've been in your shoes and I know how hard it is getting out of that kind of situation but I'll suport you and you will always be welcome in my home but please dont let it go to far. Look at that boy in the back." Emma looked at Regina silently and then looked at her sleeping son in the back. "He didn't ask for this. He is sweet and so amazingly kind-hearted and his smile lightens up a room. I dont want him to lose that. I also dont want to be reading obituaries in the paper and learning that you or Henry didn't survive a beating. I saw how he treats you and its not right. You may not believe it but you are good enough. You deserve more. Your son deserves more. I may not know you too well but I know you are one of the best people I have ever met. You have already made an impact in my life and I've only met you recently." Regina finished with a smile.

Emma was taken aback. She had never felt good enough. She had always been looked over and tossed away. She couldn't believe it. Regina was giving her an opportunity to protect the one thing in her life that meant the world to her. Henry was precious and she couldn't let him go through to much more. he was gradually changing and she couldn't let that happen to her sweet boy. She was going to get out she just needed a plan.

When the pulled up outside Emma's home. Emma picked up Henry and their things and quietly shut her car door. She walked towards Regina's window and when it rolled down she only said two words but both know they meant so much more. "Thank you." Emma whispered. Emma silently reached her hand out and rubbed her thumb over the brunette's hand. Regina reched out the widow and placed her card with all her info in the blondes shaking hand.


End file.
